In 2000 Lithuania continued along the path of strengthening its independence. A desovietization law was passed by the Seimas, the unicameral parliament, on June 27, and a delegation was to be formed by the end of the year to begin negotiations with Russia about gaining reparations for 50 years of Soviet occupation of Lithuania. An international congress for the investigation into communist crimes was also held in Vilnius in the summer.

Following the general election on October 8, a coalition government was formed by the moderate right Liberal Union and the populist left New Union (Social Liberals)—this because the Social Democratic coalition (Lithuania Democratic Labour Party and the Social Democratic Party), which together won a majority, 51 of 141 Seimas seats, were unable to form a ruling coalition. Thus, the Liberal Union and the New Union were joined by Centre Union and Moderate Christian Democrats—with a total of 67 seats—made up the new ruling coalition. Liberal Union leader Rolandas Paksas became prime minister, while New Union leader Arturas Paulaskas was elected chairman of the Seimas.

The country was on a sound economic track, and gross domestic product grew by more than 2%. Foreign direct investment amounted to $2,058,400,000, or $557 per capita, at the end of the first quarter. Foreign trade increased in the first five months of the year—exports and imports by 26.8% and 10.2%, respectively.

Lithuania moved resolutely to fulfill its chief foreign policy objective, closer integration into European institutions. On February 15 accession negotiations formally began at the European Union in Brussels. On May 19 Lithuania, a candidate for the second wave of enlargement of NATO, led the prospective new member states in signing the Vilnius statement, which called upon the NATO members to tender an invitation to join at the organization’s next summit in 2002.

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